


'i believe you when you say it like that'

by taketorasaurus



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Unrequited, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27401890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taketorasaurus/pseuds/taketorasaurus
Summary: toraken week day 4 - fake datingman i have never written angst before and i dont really like this but i just wanted to make something for this prompt and see how it went. i hope you like it though, if liking is a thing that can be said about angstinspired by a tweet from @hqpairquotes on twitter!
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Yamamoto Taketora
Kudos: 14





	'i believe you when you say it like that'

**Author's Note:**

> toraken week day 4 - fake dating
> 
> man i have never written angst before and i dont really like this but i just wanted to make something for this prompt and see how it went. i hope you like it though, if liking is a thing that can be said about angst
> 
> inspired by a tweet from @hqpairquotes on twitter!

The feeling that exploded in Tora’s chest when Kenma first asked him to pretend to date him was bittersweet. At first, elation filled him - he didn’t think he’d ever have the opportunity to be romantically involved with the setter, even if it was fake - but, steadily, it made way for jealousy and a deep feeling of misery that can’t really be explained simply by words, swirling like a dark, dense mist. After all, he was just being used as a pawn to make Kenma more desirable, and what was so romantic about that?

Even knowing this, the gestures Kenma made: linking his fingers with the other’s, whispering in his ear to make him blush, the quick, gentle kisses he’d place on his lips, set his heart on fire. Anyone would’ve believed their act - they seemed to fit together perfectly, from the difference in their heights to the matching colours of their hair. And it definitely seemed to work in the way Kenma wanted it to.

The first time one of Kenma’s actions deeply hurt Tora was when he called him from Kuroo’s house. That alone wasn’t unusual because they spent a lot of time together, but the way Kenma said goodbye was the most painful thing Tora thought he could ever hear: 

‘I love you’.

When his words were met with silence, Kenma just hung up the call, leaving Tora alone in his room, still holding the phone to his ear in disbelief. The falseness of the relationship seemed to set in for real in that moment, and the mist that had originally formed returned in a much thicker and viscous form, like tar. He couldn’t seem to cry, so he just let his arm drop back down to his side and sat still for a long time, until sleep caught him. 

At school the next day, Kenma continued their facade as normal, unaware that he had just broken someone with three simple words. It was unusual for Tora to be quiet, so Kenma started to pick up on his unsettling silence and lack of reciprocation to his gestures. He took Tora’s hand in his and stood, giving a garbled excuse to the table about ‘having to talk’ or something like that, and half-dragged the taller boy away, far enough that they couldn’t be heard by their friends. 

‘What’s up with you?’ he hissed quietly. ‘You’re being way too quiet, it’s not like you.’

Tora looked up from the ground he had been boring a hole into and met Kenma’s eyes. ‘Why would you say that to me?’ he asked, his tone somewhere between upset and angry. His question was met with a confused expression. ‘At the end of that phone call.’

Kenma’s confusion remained on his face. ‘Because that’s what people say when they’re in a relationship, right? Why are you so upset about that? It was just some words-’

‘-You’ll never love me, but I believe you when you say it like that.’

The setter’s eyes widened a little in realisation as he said that and his voice softened when he spoke again. ‘Tora I- I didn’t know that you felt like that I-’ 

‘It doesn’t matter. I thought that I could do this but I can’t, it hurts more every day.’ Tora could feel heat gathering behind his eyes, but there was no way he’d let himself cry in the middle of the courtyard, especially not over this. 

Kenma reached out a hand to touch his arm, but Tora stepped away so it just grasped air. ‘Tora, I’m sorry-’ is all he managed to say before a tear wet his cheek and the taller boy began to walk away.

‘I hope it worked out for you.’


End file.
